An unheralded aspect of a quarterback's development is going up against his own defense in practice. Fortunately, for Drake Maye, the Patriots have a great one, especially in the secondary.
That secondary is where guys such as Carlton Davis III and Christian Gonzalez lurk, and they'll be nightmares for opposing quarterbacks this season. Maye's confidence going into his second year is undoubtedly growing, and it's showing in practice as he now has a talented group of players and coaches surrounding him.
Maye also hasn't been afraid to mix it up with his talented defensive teammates, according to CBS Sports' Matt Geagan. Maye has not been shy about testing Gonzalez and Davis in practice.
"Anytime we're going against a great defense, you got good players, two great corners," Maye told Geagan. "I tell Gonzo every day, 'I'm going to test them.' I'm not going to not throw at him or CD, two of the best corners and one of the best duos in the league."
If that confidence doesn't help the Patriots win more games than they did last year, I don't know what will. With the Patriots' offense having nowhere to go but up, Maye showing that swagger in practice could be a subtle factor that turbocharges the unit.
Drake Maye should have no fear facing talented teammates
In every game the Patriots play, they'll face talented cornerbacks. Maye and the offense are aware of this, and the unit understands the growth they'll need to make week to week if the Patriots' offense is going to improve over the dismal unit it was in the last couple of seasons.
The way Maye has been acting in practice, it's becoming increasingly apparent that the Patriots are his team. New England hasn't had that guy at quarterback since Tom Brady's departure.
However, there's always room for improvement, and head coach Mike Vrabel told Geagan that Maye often needs to be encouraged to utilize his voice.
"There's a lot of room to grow. [He has] a lot of natural leadership qualities and I have to continue to encourage him and put him into positions to do that, so players understand there is a different version to all of us," Vrabel explained.
That leadership only comes with experience, and there's no doubt that Maye has had to mature quickly in his first couple of years in New England. Maye comes off as a laid-back guy, but he can't be afraid to hold the guys around him accountable, especially if someone isn't doing his job correctly.